Cleaning device for distributor heads



July 19, 1927. 1,636,083

J. STEWART CLEANING DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTOR HEADS 7 Filed April 6. 1926 INVENTOR JOf/N S TEn HET ATTORNEYS such that the active surface, or its equivalent, of the cleaning element is disposed with respect to the contiguous parts of the carrier so that the cleaning action of said element 12 will not be interfered with and yet will not extend to any objectionable degree beyond the confines of the faces of the contact members 17 which are to be cleaned; thus in the illustrated form the depth of the channel 16 with respect to the cross-sectional dimension of the element 12 is such that the latter projects outwardly beyond said carrier and has its active surface disposed in a plane beyond the end surface of the carrier and which coincides with the location of said contact member 17 in the head 15. I The handle 11 is always of relatively large diameter to provide a peripheral surface adapted to be grasped by the human fingers and to facilitate manual rotation of the device and in addition is provided with an end face ofrelatively large dimensions to fit the palm of the human hand and to provide a comfortable pressure receiving rest therefor; with this arrangement the pressure necessary to bring about a most eflicient result is easily applied to the device and manual operation of the latter is facilitated.

In utilizing the device in its illustrated form the distributor head 15 having been removed from the fixed body of the distributor, the carrier 10 is placed within the head 15 with the contact member 141 projecting into the recess 13 and with the active surface a of the cleaning element 12 resting upon the contact members 17 which correspond in number for instance to the number of cylinders included in the engine with which the distributor is combined and are connected with the spark plugs thereof by wires 18 in the conventional way. A will be noted in Figs. 1 and 2, the arrangement and dimensions are such that the carrier 10 operatively fits within the head 15; the latter thus serves as a guide for the device and positively positions the same with respect to the contact members 17 The pe riphcral surface of the carrier 10 or the equivalent portion of an equivalent element is disposed so that in conjunction with the inner surface of the head 15 or an equivalent element, the active surface a of the cleaning element 12 will be positioned to act properly upon the contact members 17 in a manner to clean the same and at the same time to restore the surface form thereof. The contact members 17 generally speaking, are em-- bedded in fiber orother non-conductive material 19 with the surfaces of the contact members 17 lying flush with the surface of the material 19, in some systems, as for instance, the one illustrated, the contact membe otherwise located. In all forms the device is constructed and dimensioned so that the cleaning means will be properly disposed with respect to the contact members and so as to describe a fixed path of movement with respectthereto when the cleaning device is used for its intended purposes.

Thus in the illustrated example the device is rotated by means of the handle 11 Within the head 15 either continuously in a given direction or in a reciprocating manner; in any case the device is positively guided by the head 15 to cause the cleaning element 12 to pass across and .in contact with the faces of the contact members 17. The latter are thus easily and quickly cleaned of all dirt and foreign matter, the treatment being continued as long as desired or found necessary. Because of the dimensioning of the device and the relative location of the parts thereof the action of the cleaning element 12 is uniform over all of the contact memhere 17 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As a result of this the surfaces of the contact members 17 are efficiently cleaned and quickly restored to their fiat or other predetermined original condition and thereby maintained in a state of maximum efficiency. If the action of the element 12 is abrasive the surfaces of the contact members 17 in addition to being freed from dirt and other foreign matter, are ground to a bright condition of high electrlcal conductivity.

The device is simple in construction and automatic in action and requires no skill in its use andoperation; it provides an im lement which reduces a troublesome and iflicult cleaning operation to one of the utmost simplicity and thus makes it possible easily to maintain distributors, timers or devices of a kindred nature in ahighly eificient condition.

Various chan es in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scopeof the claim without departing from the spirit'of my invention.

I claim:

A cleaning and smoothing device for distributors of the type having fixed contact points arranged on the bottom of a recessed body and having a movable contact point projecting above the bottom of the recess and the fixed contact points at the central oint thereof, comprising a cylindrical rigid ody dimensioned to snugly and rotatably fit Within the recess of the distributor so as to be guided in its rotary movement by the side Walls of the recess of said body and having a free end face, a cleaning element formed of abrasive material mounted on said'body and projecting axially beyondsaid face for rubbing engagement with said fixed contact points, an upstanding flange on the free face of the body for positioning the cleaning element on said face, the central part of said body being recessed for receiving the movable contact point of the distributor when the cleaning element is in engagement with the contact points, and a handle for manip ulating said device, said handle being of relatively large proportions to facilitate manual rotation of said body and said cleaning element and having an end faceof relatively large dimension to fit the palm of the human hand and, constitute a pressure re- 1 ceiving rest therefor.v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. H

JOHN STEWART. 

